Electrode for electron-discharge devices



Aug, 11, 1925.A

@95499253 W. G. HOUSKEEPER ELECTRODE FOR ELECTRON DISCHARGE DEVICES Flled 001', 5, 1920 Patented Aug. l1, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM G. HOUSKEEPER, O'F NEW YORK, N. Y., v.ASSIG'N'OR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

ELECTRODE FOR ELECTRON-DISCHYARGE DEVICES.

Application led October 5, 195120. Sexial N0. 414,772.

lo all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. HOUS- KEEPER, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at New York, in the county of New.

York, State of New York, have invented certain `new and useful Improvements in Electrodes for Electron-Discharge Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to an electrode' structure for electron discharge devices and to the method of making the same. More particularly it relates to a type of grid elec trode for a vacuum tube wherein the crossbars of the grid are fashioned'to provide a circumferentially complete grid to surround the cathode. The grid may be formed by punching or deforming a sheet of` metal rather than by welding laterals to uprights. In Hendry application Serial No. 370,618, filed April l, 1920, for electrode structure for electron discharge devices, it is pointed out that a double sheet metal grid surface may be formed by bending over into opposed parallel relation the halves of a planary punched grid. Such a grid does not have closed ends, however, i. e. the grid is not circumferentially complete.

The Hendry application also discloses that the laterals may be twisted in order to rcduce the obstruction they offer to the passage of electrons between the cathode and.

anode. In this case the effective width of each lateral may be made as small as the thickness of the sheet metal, and not the actual width between the punches made originally in the sheet metal, if a 90 twistis given.

According to the present invention, a sheet metal grid is provided having closed ends, i. e. the grid is circumferentially complete in order to control more effectively the flow of electrons from the cathode located within the grid.

This grid is made, according to one form of the invention, by punching sheet metal so that the sheet after punching comprises two side pieces with a plurality of crossbars or laterals therebetween. The distance between and the width of the cros'sbars will depend upon the type of tube in which the grid is to be used. The laterals thus formed are bent alternately forward and backward, providing a grid of rectangular or other cross-'section having closed ends and bemg vice in whichthe ed to embrace the laterale mag circulnferentially com lete. If desired, l these laterals may also ge twisted, as is the case with the grid made in accordance with the disclosureun the above-mentioned Hendry application.

The invention will be further described .in connection with the drawings, in which Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, show a grid inthe different stages of manufacture, Fi 6 is a tool that ma; be employed for twistmg the laterals, Fig. is an electron dischar e det grid may be emp oyed, l and Fig. 8 is a circuit in which the vacuum tube may be employed.

Referring in detail to the specification, the sheet of metal l which may be nickel, is provided with spaced slits 2 punched therein and spaced apart a distance to provide a suita le width of the laterals 3. These slits do not extend entirely across the sheet of metal, so that these laterals remain united at their ends to the side pieces 4 and 5. Alternate laterals are bent in opposite directions to provide a hollow grid having the rectangular cross-section shown in Fig. 2, or other forms of cross-section may be obtained if desired.

In case a wider spacing of the laterale is desired than is possible with the arrangement in Figs. 1 and 2, the sheet metal may be punched as shown in Fig. 3, removing certain portions 6 of the sheet metal. The arrangement in Fi 3 may be bent to provide a hollow gri which is circumferentially complete and having a rectangular cross-section as shown in Fig. 4, or other forms of cross-section may be employed.

If it is desiredy to reduce the rojected area of the laterals, these may be ent, for instance at an angle of 90, to the end p0rtion 7 of the laterals, the bent portion 30 then assuming the form illustrated in Fig. 5. The side pieces 4 and 5 may be reinforced, if desired, by corrugations 31.

In order to perform the bending operation of the laterals a suitable tool havlng a handle 8 and opposed jaws 9 and 10 adaptbe employed.

An electrode made in accor ance with this invention may be mounted in a vacuum tube 11 shown in Fig. 7, wherein an arbor or rod 12 arises from the stem 13, which is sealed into the vacuum tube 14. One portion 15 of the anode 'is supported by suitable wires (not shown) connected to the portion 15 and the arbor 12. The other portion 16 of the anode is supported from the portion 15 by wires 17 and 18 (and similar wires not shown at the other ends of these electrodes) and welded to them. Between the opposed sections of the anode is mounted a grid made in accordance with this invention which is supported by wires 19 and 20 connected to the arbor 12. The filament or cathode 21, which is m-shaped, is supported by the wires 22 and 23 anchored to the arbor, and is supported at its lowenend by suitable wires, one of which is shown, 24, anchored to the press or stem 13. The lead ing-in wires for the 'electrodes are taken through the press to terminal pins 25 mounted in the base 26 of the tube.

VIf desired, the Vacuum tube may be employed in a circuit such as represented in Fig. 8, wherein incomin potentials to be amplified are transferred y means of transformer 27 to the gridand cathode electrodes,

the amplified current being led to the output circuit 28.

What is claimed is: 1. A sheet metal'grid electrode for electron dischargey devices comprising side members and lateral members integral with said side members, adjacent lateral members bein bent in opposite directions to form a boxike structure.

2. A hollow sheet metal grid electrode for electron discharge devices having opposed parallel surfaces comprising side pieces and laterals extending in opposite directions and integrally united therewith, thi` cllectivc width of a plurality of said laterale projected on a plane parallel to the plane of one of' said surfaces hcingless than the actual width of said laterals.

3. A sheet metal grid electrode for e1ec-V tron discharge devices comprising a pair 0f side members, the plane of one side member being;r ol'sct from the plane of the other, and angle strips connecting said side members, the adjacent strips being oppositely disposed to form a box-like structure.

`4. A sheet metal grid electron forelectron discharge devices comprising a pair of side pieces and lateral members connecting said side pieces, each of said lateral members being bentto provide a long portion in alignment with the surface of one of said side pieces, and a short portion perpendicular to the other of said side pieces, the adjacent lateral members being oppositely dis posed torform a box-like structure.

5. A sheet metal grid electrode for electron discharge devices comprising a pair of flat side pieces, and'lateral members connectingsaid'side pieces,.said lateral members being b entto provide portions at right angles to each other and to one of said side pieces, adjacent vlateral members being oppositely bent to form a box-like structure.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 1st day of October A. D. 1920.

WILLIAM G. HOUSKEEPER. 

